News and Events

PICTURED: Elaine (left) and her older sister, Gwen, in 1995.

Elaine Holmquist of Wilmington has donated more than three gallons of blood over the years.

"Thankfully, I've been blessed with excellent health," said Elaine. "It's important to me that I help others who have not been as fortunate, especially considering what my older sister, Gwen, went through as a child."

Elaine's sister, Gwen, was born with a hole in her heart and nearly died. She needed countless blood transfusions, as well as open-heart surgery and other treatments.

"Blood donors, as well as many prayers, played a role in helping my sister make a full, miraculous recovery," said Elaine. "There are so many reasons why someone may need blood, and I'm glad that I can do my part to help."

To join Elaine in the lifesaving act of giving blood, call 1 888 8-BLOOD-8 or click HERE.

With just a couple months until Wilmington police recruits graduate from the police academy, they are already coming together to save lives. Many have signed up to give blood as a group on June 18 at the downtown Wilmington Donor Center for the Summer Blood Challenge (SBC).

The SBC is a competition among 170 local employers, including the City of Wilmington, to recruit the most blood donors and Blood Bank members during the summer months when typically fewer people give blood. The competition helps avoid blood shortages that hit other areas of the country.

Wilmington Police Chief Michael Szczerba is proud of his recruits for already setting a good example for others in the community.

"Once these recruits hit the streets, they'll be faced with countless situations where people in the community will need their help," said Chief Szczerba. "Giving blood is one of the easiest ways to save a life and make a difference, and it's important for our officers to demonstrate that."

The SBC runs from May 24 to September 4. Last year, the competition drew in 6,093 blood donations and 1,970 new Blood Bank members.

WHEN: Friday, June 18 (Police recruits donate from 7:45am - 12:30pm)
Media interviews available from 9:00am - 10:30am

WHERE: Blood Bank of Delmarva - 913 North Market Street (First Floor) - Wilmington, DE

NEWARK, DE - Students on Delmarva reached a new milestone this school year - and it's one for the record books.

Seventy-eight high schools and colleges across the Peninsula held more blood drives this past school year than ever before, resulting in a record number of blood donations. A total of 7,539 blood donations were collected at 125 school blood drives from September 2008 to May 2009 - up nearly 10% from 6,909 donations the previous school year.

The record-breaking School Blood Drive Program is even more noteworthy because of the weather challenges presented this past winter. Back-to-back major snowstorms forced Blood Bank of Delmarva to close donation locations for three days, and many school blood drives were cancelled. All of those blood drives were rescheduled and those donations were recovered thanks to the flexibility and dedication of local schools and students.

"Not only did the School Blood Drive Program have a record year for blood donations, but more than 4,500 were from first-time donors. That's outstanding! The rapid growth and success of this program show that teenagers and young adults do care about the community and want to help," said Bob Travis, President and CEO of Blood Bank of Delmarva. "Currently less than 7% of all Blood Bank members are under the age of 35. By giving first-time donors a good experience, the Blood Bank hopes to reverse this trend."

School blood drives consistently contribute 8% of all the blood donated on Delmarva. The program started in 1984 with just 140 donations at two schools. Today the program is essential for attracting students to become lifelong blood donors.

Students, their families and friends can continue to give blood and get credit for their schools in the blood drive competition this summer by giving blood and filling out a HERO card at any Blood Bank location through August 31, 2010.

This new video, which targets business leaders in the community, provides an overview of Blood Bank of Delmarva and the group membership plan. May 2010

This new Blood Bank video was produced to provide an overview of the Blood Bank, its membership program, and the importance of blood donation. June 2010

NEWARK, DE - Blood Bank of Delmarva will join blood centers around the globe to observe World Blood Donor Day on June 14. The annual event, hosted in Barcelona, Spain this year, highlights the role blood donors play in saving the lives and improving the health of millions each year.

While it is hoped that World Blood Donor Day will create wider awareness of the importance of blood donation and encourage more people to become regular blood donors, the purpose is not to attract a big influx of new donors on June 14. Rather, it is an opportunity to express gratitude to those who donate their blood in order to save lives, without expecting anything in return.

"World Blood Donor Day is designed to celebrate the unsung heroes who voluntarily donate blood and save lives," said Robert L. Travis, President and CEO of Blood Bank of Delmarva. "Over the past year, we've had more than 76,000 blood donations. That's remarkable. We take this opportunity to thank our donors and ask people to spread the word that blood donations are vitally important in our community and in every part of the world."

Blood Bank of Delmarva's strong foundation of members and regular blood donors has helped the organization avoid serious blood shortages that often affect other areas of the country and world. Thousands of Blood Bank members are currently enrolled in the plateletpheresis program and donate platelets (a component of blood critically needed to treat people with leukemia and cancer) as often as every two weeks. There is also a "LifeSaver" program with Blood Bank members who have signed up to be "on-call" when there is an extra need for their blood type. More than 350 blood donors are needed every day on Delmarva to support the blood supply at local hospitals.

The Blood Bank encourages everyone to observe World Blood Donor Day by making an appointment to give blood at one of the 33 convenient locations on Delmarva. Click here or call 1-888-8-BLOOD-8.